The Government will be re-elected with a bigger majority at the next general election, Paschal Donohoe has predicted.

Polls consistently find that Sinn Féin is the most popular party in the State with support from around one third of the population.  

Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil receive around 20% of the vote each and the Greens poll at around 5%. 

In the 2020 election, Fine Gael won 21% of the vote and Minister Donohoe feels the party can improve on that result. 

“When an election happens… I believe not only can Fine Gael increase the numbers of seats it has in the next Dáil, but I also believe the Government will be able to do so as well,” he told The Pat Kenny Show. 

He said the next General Election is “some way away” but said he was pleased with the overall level of support for the coalition parties. 

Micheál Martin, Leo Varadkar and Mary Lou McDonald during a TV leaders' debate in 2020. Photo:Niall Carson/RollingNews.ie/Pool.

“Most of the polls have shown that my party is doing better than it did in the General Election of 2020 and most of the polls show the combined support of the Government at reasonable levels - given the many challenges that our country has faced over the last number of years,” he said. 

“But I have to say, planning for the next General Election and for our performance in the next Dáil is still some way away. 

“This Government still has a long time in its mandate to serve and we’ve an awful lot that we want to do between now and having to make the case for our re-election at some point in early 2025.” 

The last time an incumbent Government increased its majority was in 2002 when Fianna Fáil gained an extra four seats and the Progressive Democrats doubled theirs to eight. 

The result was attributed in part to the strong performance of the economy at the height of the Celtic Tiger.

Main image: Paschal Donohoe. Picture by: Julien Behal Photograph / RollingNews.ie